Conscious Eating

It’s no secret.  Americans are fat – much fatter than our European relatives.   While there’s been a lot of blame tossed in the direction of genetics and inactivity, other developed countries have been slow to match our obesity rates.  The average North American is more than 16 pounds heavier than the average Northern European. But gross obesity is where we really excel. We have almost three times as many grossly obese people as Sweden; four times as many as the Netherlands.

There are certainly many factors contributing to America’s growing waistlines, but one often overlooked cause is our food culture, or lack thereof.  While Americans scarf down food on the drive to work or quickly grab a lunch at our desks, European cultures value eating as an experience, putting higher value on the pleasures and rituals of dining.  Europeans tend to eat slower, spending time at the table savoring food with family or friends.  To them eating is a social experience as well as a sensory one.  In France for example, meals often consist of several courses, are eaten at a table (both adding a sense of structure to a meal), and consist of a variety of flavors from savory to sweet. 

In contrast the typical American diet tends to be monotonous.   Pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets and copious amounts of meat provide the taste buds little variety.  Food is often consumed on the fly, in the car (19% of all meals actually) on the way to the next busy activity, or worse, in front of the television.  Such blatant disrespect for food likely contributes to weight problems by leaving us perpetually unsatisfied. Tellingly, eating fast has been linked to an increase in weight problems while regular family meals are associated with decreased risk of obesity.

While it may not be the magic answer to America’s weight problems, eating more consciously like our European neighbors certainly couldn’t hurt.  While your busy American schedule may not allow for every meal to be truly appreciated, take some time occasionally to drop everything, sit down and just eat a meal.  Chew it.  Actually taste it.  Notice the textures and flavors. Try something different.  Share a meal with a friend over stimulating conversation.  In other words, enjoy the experience of eating not because you have to in order to survive, but for the sheer joy of eating all in itself.

Men Are Losers

Sounds sexist, doesn’t it?  But any woman who has attempted to lose weight has looked at her husband or boyfriend in envy.  Let’s face it.  Men shed pounds over night while women gain pounds just driving past a bakery.  It’s not sexist.  It’s just the cold hard truth, however desperately unfair it might be.  Men are natural losers.

Instead of drowning our sorrows over this injustice in a tub of cookie dough ice cream, we should emulate them.  Let’s learn from them ladies.

Men have muscle. Men’s bodies are just different than women’s.  Men have greater muscle mass, which causes them to burn up to 30% more calories.  Women in turn have more body fat, and they are biologically programmed to store it. 

What can we do about it?  Hit the weights!  At the gym, men flock to the weight racks while women plod along on the cardio equipment.  This approach to weight loss doesn’t do our bodies any favors.  Weight training helps women increase muscle mass and therefore speed up metabolism.  Don’t fear the free weights, ladies. 

Men lift heavy.  Women who do wander over to the weight racks tend to pick a light weight and an exercise they can do with perfect form, probably isolating one muscle.  They kid themselves thinking they are just “toning”.  The problem is they aren’t doing their muscles much good. 

Men on the other hand, pick an exercise that allows them to grab the biggest, most impressive-looking weights.  The result: muscle building in less time, and working groups of muscles at once instead of one in isolation.  Drop the baby weights and pick up something heavier, poundage that makes you strain to do 8-10 repetitions.  Once your body adapts to 10 repetitions, increase the weight until you are only able to squeeze out 3.  Worried about “bulking up”?  Lou Schuler, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and author of The New Rules of Lifting has this to say: "At sports medicine conferences, I've seen scans of women's upper arms before and after this kind of training program, and the girth of their upper arms hasn't changed, but you can see the fat tissue is reduced and how much more muscle there is."

Men crave meat.  While women reach for chocolate bars and sweet gooey baked goods for our comfort foods, men turn to meat.  Meat is protein, and protein helps create a feeling of fullness which prevents overeating later.  The same can’t be said about a sticky bun.  If sweets are your dietary Achilles’ heel, when the cravings come on reach for some lean protein first.  Some easy grabs are low-fat string cheese or cottage cheese and fresh berries. 

Men are not perfectionists.  When women diet, they charge head first into perfection, vowing never to consume soda or candy or anything fattening ever again.  We deprive ourselves until we just can’t stand it any longer.  Then we scarf down everything on the cookie aisle at the grocery store, wallowing in guilt and misery for several days afterward. 

Men are less complicated.  They’ll still enjoy some of their favorite foods, just in smaller portions.  Can you imagine a guy giving up beer and nachos FOREVER?  That’s because they don’t.  A man is far more likely to adopt an “all things in moderation” mindset, and research suggests this approach is far more successful long-term. 

The lesson:  Don’t ban your favorite foods.  Nothing can ruin your good intentions like feeling deprived.  It’s okay to have a small cupcake or scoop of ice cream once a week.  Just don’t overdo it.

Men don’t use food as therapy.  Not only are women twice as likely to suffer from depression as men, they are also more likely to attempt to soothe that depression with food.  A bad day makes many women over-eat, which leads to the downward spiral of guilt and self-loathing, which leads to more over-eating, which leads to more….you get the idea.  Men tend to lean more towards physical activity when they are stressed or need to dissipate negative emotions.  They may go for a hard run or pound nails or tinker in the garage.  So instead of swallowing your feelings along with a dozen doughnuts, get up and get active.  Take a kickboxing class, go for a brisk walk, or take out frustrations on the weights at the gym.

So if you want to shed pounds like a man, it’s okay to emulate some of their behaviors.  I’m all about female empowerment and embracing our differences, but if it helps the “fairer” gender adopt healthier habits, let’s learn from the losers.  (Sorry guys.  I couldn’t resist that little jab.)

I Hate Vegetables

In response to my recent blog entry, Anatomy of a Healthy Salad, I received something all bloggers treasure, a reader question. 

“My problem is that I like peas, beans and tomatoes (and spinach in small doses) only. All other vegetables are so horrid I can't stand it. I'd like to eat veggies, but I can't get past the taste buds - any ideas?”

You aren’t alone, dear reader.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 75% of Americans don't eat the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That's alarming, considering how important vegetables are to maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle--but not surprising, given that many people would love to have barbecue sauce classified as a vegetable and be done with the whole affair.

Having successfully brought four children through picky-eater toddlerhood, I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve. Here are some painless ways to work healthy vegetables into your diet. 

Incorporate vegetables into your favorite foods.  It’s really easy to sneak vegetables into such family favorites as spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, lasagna, and chili.  Spinach, carrots, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and even green beans, all finely chopped or grated, work well for this.  If just tossing them in is too much for your inner veggie critic, try pureeing them and stirring them in.  It’s also easy to mash a variety of vegetables in with mashed potatoes.  Carrots, and cabbage are my children’s favorites, or try some pureed greens for green potatoes.  You can even incorporate vegetables into baked goods like zucchini bread or carrot raisin muffins.   Another trick, toss some veggies on your favorite pizza or sandwich.  You might be more likely to consume tomatoes, sprouts, or greens if they are hiding under your pepperoni or roast beef.

Vegetables can be dessert.  Did you know half a cup of pumpkin pie counts as a serving of vegetables?  You can even make it without the crust to reduce calories.  Sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and a variety of squashes work really well in dessert pies, plus you don’t have to add a lot of sugar to make them tasty.

Experiment with different seasonings and cooking methods.  Vegetables don’t always have to be steamed and bland.  Sautéing in good quality oil and seasoning with fresh herbs may add just the zing to make your palette sing. (Cheesy, I know, but I couldn’t resist.)  Oven broiling or grilling can also add a different flavor and consistency to vegetables you think you hate.

Drink your veggies.  I’ve not personally tried juicing fresh vegetables, but I have friends who swear by it.  Mixing fresh vegetable juice with your favorite fruit juice can help make it tastier.  Or try a green smoothie (fresh greens mixed with fruit in a blender).  I have one very good friend who swears by them.

Still can’t take it?  Try Shakeology.  While I’m not one to jump to product endorsements, this one rocks.  All natural, whole foods ingredients, and tasty to boot, Shakeology can be used as a meal replacement or supplement, and it contains many of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients you would find in a diet full of fresh vegetables.  But don’t use it as an excuse to skip the vegetable matter.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are definitely the gold standard.

By the way, I love, love, love hearing from readers.  Have a question or suggestion (I take rave compliments, too)?  Be sure to hit me up in the comments section or drop me an email. 

Anatomy of a Healthy Salad

In a recent conversation with a gym acquaintance (someone I know, but rarely see outside of the gym), she asked me for some advice on losing some body fat.  Swimsuit season is fast approaching, and she was hoping for a leaner more swimsuit-friendly figure.  After months in the gym, and very little measurable progress in the area of body-slimming, she was fast approaching a level of frustration akin to that of an Amish electrician.

Since I am quite aware of this woman’s general workout ethic (and it’s consistent and persistent), I immediately asked her some questions about her dietary practices.  Afterall, my favorite mantra is:  You can’t out train a bad diet.

What do you usually eat for lunch?  Her answer:  a salad.

The typical answer of many a health-conscious woman.  It is the self-controlled, intelligent, responsible choice for a mid-day meal.  Or is it?

It depends.  What do you mean by “salad”?  Just because something is labeled as a salad doesn’t mean it’s low in calories or that it’s particularly “good for you”.

If your favorite salad is preceded by the words “Ceasar” or “Cobb”, do yourself a favor and just order the sandwich.  The downfall is in the dressing, which is high in fat and therefore calorie dense.  It’s not unusual for a conservatively sized Ceasar salad or Cobb salad to have over 400 calories, especially if you’re adding croutons.

Beware of other salads, too.  Some dressings such as ranch, bleu cheese, 1000 island, and Russian can sabotage the healthiest of salads.  Also things like cheese, bacon, croutons, nuts and dried fruit can pack on a huge increase in calories if not used judiciously.

But don’t be scared away from the salad option.  Salads can be a very balanced and nutrient-rich meal if you follow some basic guidelines.

Start with dark greens.  The darker the green in edible plants, the more nutrients they hold. Choose those that are lusciously deep in color and mix them with a variety of shades, textures and tastes for the perfect balance of vitamins and minerals. Avoid traditional iceburg lettuce because not only is it fairly boring and tasteless, it also cheats you out of the abundance of vitamins you’ll find in more colorful greens.  Fresh spinach, arugula, swiss chard, bibb or boston lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, and watercress are all great choices for the base of a good nutritious salad.  Don’t be shy.  Pile them on.  You aren’t going to over-eat on these low in calorie, but high in nutrient greens.

Add other vegetables like snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, sweet peas, cucumbers, carrots, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.  These add color to your salad.  And the prettier the salad, the better for you it is. 

Don’t forget the lean protein.  Make your salad a balanced meal by adding a serving of lean protein.  (A serving of protein is about the size of your open palm.  If you are a small person, the serving size will be smaller.  Comparing your servings to the size of your palm makes it easy, since we tend to carry our palms around with us wherever we go.)  White meat chicken or turkey, shrimp, plain tuna, or beans are all good choices.  Adding some protein to your salad will help you feel more satisfied between meals, too.

Be sparing on the treat ingredients.  Limit yourself to one item and keep it small.  Nuts, cheese, bacon, olives, avocado, sunflower seeds, croutons, and dried fruit all fall in the treat category.

Get the dressing on the side.  Even when you choose a light and healthy dressing such as light balsamic vinaigrette, honey mustard, or sesame ginger, you can control the amount you ingest when it’s served on the side.  Most of the calories in a salad come from the dressing, so this is where it really pays to choose wisely.

Follow these simple guidelines and you'll end up with a filling and healthy salad that packs a nutritious punch while still being nice to your waistline.

Need a little more inspiration?  Check out my recipe for Mandarin Grilled Chicken Salad.